Systemic Couple Therapy for Marital Dynamics and Mental Health
25 de julho de 2026 atualizado por: Tamkeen Saleem, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University
Systemic Couple Therapy for Enhancement of Marital Dynamics and Mental Health Among Individuals With Depression: A Mixed Method Approach
The goal of this clinical trial (randomized controlled trial within a mixed-method study) is to learn whether Systemic Couple Therapy (SCT) can treat depression and improve relational functioning in married couples where at least one partner is experiencing mild to moderate depression and relational distress.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does Systemic Couple Therapy improve relationship quality, marital communication, dyadic coping, interpersonal functioning, and overall mental health?
- Does Systemic Couple Therapy reduce depressive symptoms compared to Treatment-as-Usual (TAU)? Researchers will compare Systemic Couple Therapy (intervention group) with Treatment-as-Usual (control group) to see if SCT leads to greater improvements in mental health and relational outcomes and greater reduction in depression.
Participants will:
- Complete standardized psychological assessments at baseline, post-treatment (8 weeks), and 3-month follow-up
- Participate in 8 weekly Systemic Couple Therapy sessions (intervention group)
- Receive Treatment-as-Usual such as routine couple therapy services or medication (control group)
Visão geral do estudo
Status
Ainda não está recrutando
Condições
Intervenção / Tratamento
Tipo de estudo
Intervencional
Inscrição (Estimado)
48
Estágio
- Não aplicável
Contactos e Locais
Esta seção fornece os detalhes de contato para aqueles que conduzem o estudo e informações sobre onde este estudo está sendo realizado.
Contato de estudo
- Nome: Tamkeen Saleem, Phd
- Número de telefone: 923325412281
- E-mail: tamkeen.dcp@stmu.edu.pk
Critérios de participação
Os pesquisadores procuram pessoas que se encaixem em uma determinada descrição, chamada de critérios de elegibilidade. Alguns exemplos desses critérios são a condição geral de saúde de uma pessoa ou tratamentos anteriores.
Critérios de elegibilidade
Idades elegíveis para estudo
- Adulto
Aceita Voluntários Saudáveis
Não
Descrição
Inclusion Criteria:
Inclusion criteria
- Participant must be 18 years or older to participate in the study.
- At least one partner must meet the diagnostic criteria for depression (mild to moderate) as defined by the DSM-5 TR.
- Participants must be married for at least a year to ensure adequate context for systemic couple therapy.
- Both partners must agree to participate in the study, showing their willingness to engage in the intervention and complete all required assessments.
Exclusion Criteria:
• Participants with severe depression, psychosis, bipolar disorder, or active substance use disorder will be excluded from the study due to potential interference with therapy.
- Participants currently engaged in ongoing individual psychotherapy during the study period will be excluded to avoid confounding treatment effects.
- Additionally, couples will be excluded if there is presence of domestic violence or abuse, as identified during the initial screening or clinical interview, to ensure participant safety.
- Couple who will be undergoing legal separation or divorce proceedings will not be eligible to participate, as the focus of the systemic couple therapy is relational commitment and stability.
Plano de estudo
Esta seção fornece detalhes do plano de estudo, incluindo como o estudo é projetado e o que o estudo está medindo.
Como o estudo é projetado?
Detalhes do projeto
- Finalidade Principal: Tratamento
- Alocação: Randomizado
- Modelo Intervencional: Atribuição Paralela
- Mascaramento: Triplo
Armas e Intervenções
Grupo de Participantes / Braço |
Intervenção / Tratamento |
|---|---|
|
Experimental: Systemic Couple Therapy
|
Systemic Couple Therapy for Depressive Sample
|
|
Sem intervenção: TAU
Treatment As Usual
|
O que o estudo está medindo?
Medidas de resultados primários
Medida de resultado |
Descrição da medida |
Prazo |
|---|---|---|
|
Relationship Quality
Prazo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Relationship quality will be measured using the Relationship Quality Scale, a 9-item self-report questionnaire assessing participants' perceptions of the quality of their current relationship.
Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Total scores range from 9 to 45, with higher scores indicating better relationship quality.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Medidas de resultados secundários
Medida de resultado |
Descrição da medida |
Prazo |
|---|---|---|
|
Depression
Prazo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Depression severity will be measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, a 9-item self-report questionnaire assessing the frequency of depressive symptoms experienced during the previous two weeks.
Each item is scored from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day).
Total scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Marital Communication
Prazo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Marital communication is defined as the verbal and nonverbal sharing of information among spouses.
Marital communication will be assessed using the Dyadic Communication Assessment Scale.
The scale consists of 16 items, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Rarely) to 5 (Always).
Total scores range from 16 to 80, with higher scores indicating better and more effective marital communication.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Dyadic coping
Prazo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Dyadic coping is the process by which couple assist each other when one or both are under stress.
Dyadic coping will be assessed using the Dyadic Coping Inventory.
The inventory consists of 37 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very rarely) to 5 (very often).
Total scores range from 37 to 185, with higher scores indicating more effective dyadic coping between partners.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Interpersonal relationships
Prazo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Interpersonal relationships will be assessed using the Interpersonal Relationships Rating Scale.
The scale consists of 18 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely inconsistent) to 5 (completely consistent).
Total scores range from 18 to 90, with higher scores indicating better interpersonal relationships and interpersonal functioning.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Mental Health
Prazo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Mental health will be measured using the Mental Health Inventory-38, a 38-item self-report questionnaire that assesses overall psychological well-being and psychological distress experienced during the previous month.
Responses are recorded using 5-point or 6-point response options depending on the item, and scores are summed to produce a Mental Health Index ranging from 38 to 226.
Higher scores indicate better overall mental health, reflecting greater psychological well-being and lower psychological distress.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Colaboradores e Investigadores
É aqui que você encontrará pessoas e organizações envolvidas com este estudo.
Patrocinador
Datas de registro do estudo
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Datas Principais do Estudo
Início do estudo (Estimado)
1 de agosto de 2026
Conclusão Primária (Estimado)
1 de outubro de 2026
Conclusão do estudo (Estimado)
31 de dezembro de 2026
Datas de inscrição no estudo
Enviado pela primeira vez
19 de julho de 2026
Enviado pela primeira vez que atendeu aos critérios de CQ
25 de julho de 2026
Primeira postagem (Real)
30 de julho de 2026
Atualizações de registro de estudo
Última Atualização Postada (Real)
30 de julho de 2026
Última atualização enviada que atendeu aos critérios de controle de qualidade
25 de julho de 2026
Última verificação
1 de julho de 2026
Mais Informações
Termos relacionados a este estudo
Termos MeSH relevantes adicionais
Outros números de identificação do estudo
- 484-25
Plano para dados de participantes individuais (IPD)
Planeja compartilhar dados de participantes individuais (IPD)?
INDECISO
Informações sobre medicamentos e dispositivos, documentos de estudo
Estuda um medicamento regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA
Não
Estuda um produto de dispositivo regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA
Não
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